Bloomberg News quotes Devon Hewitt in an article on how shrinking budgets and acquisition workforce mistakes are driving bid protests

Rebecca Bricken Segal is featured in The Washington Business Journal’s People On The Move

Protorae Law Co-Sponsors Event Celebrating Women Executives

On January 10th, 2013, Protorae Law, along with BB&T and Watkins Meegan, co-sponsored the 2nd annual ‘Cocktails and Contacts’ event at Seasons 52. The annual event celebrates and supports Women Executives.

Federal News Radio interviews Devon Hewitt on Putting AbilityOne Contracts Under the Microscope

Devon Hewitt interviewed on Federal News Radio regarding DoD’s IG Report on DoD’s administration of the SDVOSB program

Listen to Devon Hewitt’s second interview with Federal News Radio; this time on the Air Force’s lifting of the Booz Allen proposed debarment.

The Booz Allen office in San Antonio narrowly escaped debarment last month after it unethically acquired and circulated non-public information. Hewitt recently wrote on her blog about how the incident is a cautionary tale to all contractors wanting to avoid suspension and debarment.

Protorae Law is pleased to welcome Michelle DiCintio as our newest attorney.

Michelle DiCintio has joined Protorae Law, PLLC to head the firm’s corporate and business transactions practice team. Having served as in-house counsel for two large government contracting companies, Serco, Inc. and General Dynamics, Inc., Michelle brings tremendous experience and perspective to government contracting transactions and issues as well as general and corporate transactional matters. Michelle’s practice will focus on general business and transactional matters, including corporate formation, corporate governance, mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance and commercial transactions.

“We are thrilled that Michelle has joined Protorae Law,” said Jim Kinsel, one of Protorae Law’s founding members, “Combined with Devon Hewitt’s government contracting practice and Brian Chandler’s employment practice, Protorae Law has taken another step forward in implementing its strategic vision to offer experienced legal advice to companies across many industry sectors, including government contracting.”

Protorae Law: One Year Later

By: Jim Kinsel

During the Constitutional Convention in the Summer of 1787, George Washington sat in a chair with a carving on its back of the upper half of the sun and its rays. After staring at that sun carving day after day, Benjamin Franklin reportedly said that he had “often looked at that behind the president without being able to tell whether it was rising or setting. But now [he knew] it is a rising…sun.” While our law firm has more modest aspirations than nation building, we too have a rising sun outlook.

Last year at this time, we had just embarked on our journey of building a law firm on a foundation of teamwork between our lawyers and with our clients. While many companies talk about teamwork, actuating that principle requires work and patience even with the best of people.

Looking back at our first year, it is impossible not to be grateful to the many people who have put their faith in our firm. We have always viewed the ability to practice law as an honor. And practicing law is even more rewarding when our clients have expressed gratitude and support for our work. We are also thankful to our many friends who have referred clients to us and offered us advice and support along the way. Relationships are still the most important ingredient to any success. And we appreciate the many relationships that have helped build our firm.

We are also thankful to the lawyers who have joined our legal team this year. Devon Hewitt joined our firm as a member in July of this year, bringing over 20 years of government contracts legal experience to our firm. Both her practice and personality have been a great fit for our firm and our clients. Within two months of starting, she traveled to New Orleans and Minneapolis for government contracting conventions. Recently, she bragged about beating her all-time record for staying late at the office into the early morning hours because of an emergency litigation project. She is a great teammate, always willing to help.

Drew Smith joined us in June with his sports and entertainment practice. Drew represents professional athletes, including players in the National Football League and within professional baseball leagues. He is in constant motion but offers level-headed advice to his players. When the N.F.L. lockout was ending, he received over 200 phone calls in one day.

Anna Dvorchik officially joined us in August after working with us on a contract basis for several months. She has an extraordinary ability to cut through the superfluous to see the essential. She is also a gifted writer and advocate for our clients. There is nothing subtle about Anna as her personality and humor fills the room.

Leigh Sprowls is a perfect example of how the unintended result can surpass the intended. Leigh started with us last December to help us on a three-week project. But in her first year of legal practice she has proven so essential to our team that we cannot imagine the firm without her. She has seen more unique litigation problems in her first year than most lawyers experience in many years. Leigh is the embodiment of team, willing to help out everyone with anything.

Finally, I could write volumes in appreciation to have Brian Chandler as a law partner. His reliability and selflessness are unrivaled, and he is well liked by everyone. His employment and litigation practice has helped many clients tackle difficult problems. It is a privilege to be his law partner.

Making the engine run is our legal assistant, Kerry Putman. She is our mechanic extraordinaire. She does the difficult job of keeping the attorneys in line with great skill (and with enough attitude to make us not want to cross her!).

Combined, our firm meets the test of being greater than the sum of its parts. Not every group becomes a team so we are fortunate that our group has gelled into one. We hope that in year two we continue to earn the trust of existing and new clients as well as grow our legal team. And thank you again for a successful year one.

Devon Hewitt Comments on Department of Veterans Affairs’ Decision Not to Follow GAO’s Reasoning in Aldevra

There has been much discussion about the GAO’s Aldevra opinion and how it impacts SDVOSBs. Devon Hewitt was quoted in BNA’s Federal Contract Report calling the decision “ironic” and “peculiar.” Click here to read the BNA article. Devon also analyzed the Aldevra opinion in two blogs posts that can be found here and here.